PICTURES of Christmas parades in Bournemouth 100 years ago are relatively rare to find.

So it was a real treat when John Gillard brought in a postcard of a photograph of a Christmas parade going along Holdenhurst Road in Bournemouth circa 1912-18.

“My father Henry James Gillard is the man on the white horse in the centre of the picture,” said John of Bournemouth.

Following Henry are two ladies riding side saddle with Father Christmas travelling in a horse drawn carriage behind. An outfitter is on the far left, then coal and forage merchants James Cole & Son, and the taller building on the end is a hotel.

Today the hotel has been replaced with student flats. In the background on the far right is Bournemouth Central Station. Note the car, an early model, in contrast with the tram lines on the ground.

Henry was originally from a village just outside Taunton. He always worked with horses, before and after the war. When he moved to Christchurch he worked for Johnny Upland and then moved to Stourpaine.

He joined the Royal Engineers during the Great War and was stationed at Christchurch Barracks and The Rookery, and received the Victory and British Service medals.

After the war he worked for Landers builders in Tuckton and was a carter for Bournemouth council.

Henry was also a well respected tenor bell ringer at Christchurch Priory for many years, taking over Percy Osman, a man twice his weight and strength. Other fellow bell ringers with Henry were Ken Derham, Len Stone who owned the bicycle shop in Christchurch and Harry Harrison who lived near the garage at Sopley.

Another picture shows Henry as a young man holding a crook and wearing a large sash. Does anyone know the purpose of the sash and the decoration? He also appears to have a flower pinned to the lapel of his coat.

Married twice he had nine children, and died in 1967 aged 80.